We would like to share an important update regarding the location of this year’s Gala of Lights. This year’s event will be held at the Edwena L. Crowe Ballroom at the Oak Ridge Conference Center, located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. This beautiful venue is named in honor of Edwena Crowe, a longtime and devoted parishioner of St. Mary’s. We are grateful for the opportunity to host this special evening in a space connected to someone who was part of our parish community for so many years.

This change allows us to host the Gala in a setting that is well-suited for a formal fundraising event. The ballroom’s elegance and functionality reduce the need for extensive decor and setup, making the evening more cost‑effective while significantly easing the workload on our volunteers. Most importantly, these thoughtful adjustments allow more of the funds raised to directly support our students and the mission of St. Mary’s School while ensuring the evening remains a welcoming, beautiful, and enjoyable night for all. 

The Gala of Lights is St. Mary’s School’s signature fundraising event, an elegant evening where our community gathers to celebrate faith, service, and the hope that shines through shared generosity. Beginning this year, the Gala will also include the tradition of honoring an individual whose life and service have had a lasting impact on St. Mary’s Parish and School.

This new element of the Gala was inspired by reflections shared during St. Mary’s 75th Jubilee celebration, which invited our community to look back with gratitude at those whose faith and leadership helped shape the foundation we stand on today. In that spirit, we are honored to name Father Michael Woods as the inaugural Gala of Lights honoree.

Father Woods is being recognized in celebration of his 60 years of priestly vocation and his faithful service to St. Mary’s. His pastoral leadership, commitment to Catholic education, and deep care for this community have profoundly influenced our past and continue to guide our present. Honoring Father Woods allows us to give thanks for the legacy we have received while using this moment to invest intentionally in the future of St. Mary’s School and the students entrusted to us.

To support the flow of the evening with our new location, the Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 25th will be celebrated at 5:00 PM.

We look forward to coming together as a community for a special and memorable evening!